BREASTFEEDING

 I was a member of La Leche League for about twenty years. During this time I encouraged many mothers to nurse their babies. I had such a wonderful experience with my three. I know that many mothers have problems nursing for one reason or another. Usually the problem is because the nurses start the baby on formula in the hospital. Even to this day nurses and doctors do not know much about breastfeeding. The slightest problem and they tell mothers to just switch to a bottle. They are depriving mothers and babies of a most wonderful experience. To be successful nursing one has to nurse. Once bottles of any kind are started it’s downhill because the mother believes that she can’t do it. Usually it’s a natural thing. Mothers need to be given the confidence that they can do it. After all why do we have breasts? I know that some mothers can’t do it. For most it is just a matter of being confident and persevering. If you nurse and then follow up the feeding with a bottle forget it. You may as well stop.
Babies are exhausting!!! However they are also small and can be carried everywhere and anywhere easily!!! It takes a few months to adjust to being a new mother. New mothers need help cooking, cleaning and washing. They can look after their babies. New mothers need to know that as long as they are caring for a newborn the dishes can wait. They are usually lucky if they can have a shower and get dressed during the day. If they aren’t going out then they shouldn’t even bother.
Babies waken and feed at least every two to three hours. They digest the milk quickly. Accepting this fact will make life easier. It doesn’t last forever although at the time it seems like it will. Hungry babies are in pain. They cannot read the clock and can’t wait until the clock say it’s time to eat.
If a mother would hold her baby most of the time and nurse whenever the baby wants the baby would be happy and there would be plenty of milk in most cases. The more the baby nurses the more milk will be made in most cases.
I better stop preaching but this has always been a sore point for me. I am not saying that mothers should nurse but if they decide to try then they need the right information and a lot of encouragement.